Toggle latch mechanism



May 11, 319511 2,551,534

C. M- GOSHE TOGGLE LATCH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 20, 1949 v INVENTOR.Ce/esf/fle 605/76 MM Mm;

ATTORNEY Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOGGLE LATCHMECHANISM Celestine M. Goshe, Fostoria, Ohio Application December 20,1949, Serial No. 134,104

1 Claim.

This invention relates to latch mechanisms but particularly to doorlatch mechanisms involving toggle action.

An object is to produce a new and improved toggle action door latch, theparts of which are formed from sheet metal stampings, thu adapting thestructure for economical quantity production.

Another object is to produce a toggle action door latch, the parts ofwhich are formed from sheet metal stampings and designed for rigidityand sturdiness and ease of assembly and installation.

Another object is to produce a toggle action latch mechanism having thenew and improved features of construction, arrangement and operationhereinafter described, and for purposes of illustration but not oflimitation, an embodi ment of the invention is shown on the accompanyindrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toggle latchmechanism with the parts in latched position and shown mounted on doorpanels;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the latch mechanism applied to doorpanels, the latter being shown in transverse section, the latch beingshown in full lines in unlatched position and in broken lines in latchedposition;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the latch mechanism in the regionof the toggle joints;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the parts of the toggle latch mechanismshowing the same in perspective view; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 1.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a pair of doorpanels A and B, a sheet metal keeper having a mountin plate I beingsecured to the panel B by screws l2. Parallel with the mounting plate Hand forming a rigid part of the keeper is a plate l3 which is ofourvilinear form and has a sector shaped opening l4 to receive thehooked end of the latch, as will hereinafter be described Connected tothe door panel A by screws I is a sheet metal mounting plate l6 havingan integral flange IT to which is pivotally connected by a hinge jointl8, an anchor member H) which is likewise curvilinear in form and has asector haped opening 20. Engaging in the sector shaped opening is aportion 2| of an eye bolt 22 having a screw-threaded shank which extendsthrough an opening 23 in an end wall of a sheetxmetal body member 25. Onopposite sides of the end wall 24 are nuts 26 which secure the eye boltin position and enable longitudinal adjustment thereof to meet therequirements of service. The body member 25 comprises a top wall 21 ofsheet metal having a pair of integral side flanges 28 extending atsubstantially right angles from the top Wall 21 and are rigidly securedto the end wall 24.

Fixedly secured, as by welding, to the rear portion of the top wall 21is a staple 29 for a. purpOSe hereinafter to be described. Each of theside flanges 28 has an aperture 30 in its inner end portion to registerwith apertures 3| on side flanges 32 of a toggle lever 33 similarly ofsheet metal. Passing through the registering openings 30 and 3| is arivet '34. The toggle lever is formed with a top wall 35 with-which theflanges 32 are integral and from which they project at substantiallyright angles. At the inner end of the top wall 24 and integral therewithis a laterally and outwardly inclined handle portion 36 terminating in asubstantially right angle finger piece 31, a rib 38 being formed in thefinger portion 31 and handle 36 to increase the strength and rigiditythereof. In the top wall 35 is a longitudinally elongate slot 39 adaptedto receive the staple 29 when the parts are in latched position, thestaple being adapted to receive a padlock for positively locking theassembly in latched position. The apertures 3| are actually formed inintegral extensions 40 of the flanges 32 and project beyond the adjacentend of the top wall 35.

Straddling the flanges 32 of the toggle lever 33 is a pair of flange endportions 4| integral with a sheet metal hook member 42. The end portionof the flange extensions 4| are formed with apertures 43 to registerrespectively with apertures 44 in the: toggle lever flange 32, theapertures 44 being spaced from the apertures 3| in the flange extensions4|] and laterally offset therefrom.

Passin through the registering sets of apertures 43 and 44 are rivets 45respectively enabling relative pivotal movement between these parts. Thehook member 42 is of sheet metal and has a flat top Wall with which sideflanges 46 extending at substantially right angles are integral with theopposite side. The outer portion of the top wall is tapered as indicatedat 41 and inclines laterally in a direction toward the door panels, theside flanges being accordingly tapered. Formed at the extreme end of thetapered portion 4! is a hook member 48 and in order to reenforce thehookl member and adjacent parts a rib 49 extends longitudinally of thetop and the hook member for this purpose.

The hook member 48 is adapted to engage in the sector shaped opening H!of the keeper particularly as shown in Figures 1 and 2. After beingengaged therein, upon rocking the toggle arm 33 to the right (Figures 1and 2), the parts are drawn tightly together. Thus in the event of anyirregularities in the positioning of the panels A and B, this may becompensated for by the toggle action which tends to draw thesepanels'toward each other and into substantial alignment.

To accommodate the rivets providing the pivotal connection between theparts, the flange end portions 4| are outwardly curved as indicated at50. Similarly, the side flanges 28 of the body member 25 are inwardlycurved as indicated" at.

5|. This obviates any possible interference during the rocking movementof the pivotally mounted parts, as will be readily apparent.

From the above description, it will be manifest that I have produced anexceedingly simple and eflicient toggle latch mechanism which is formedpractically entirely from stampings thereby enabling the structure to beeconomically formed on a quantity basis. The flange-like structure ofthe component parts greatly adds to the strength and rigidity of thestructure, assisting in militating against unwarranted actuation of theassembly when in locked position since access to the pivotal mountingsis, to a large extent, concealed. The structure can be readily assembledand inview of its extreme simplicity, the liability of faulty operationis eliminated.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction,arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from thespirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A toggle latch mechanism comprising a sheet metal hook member having atop wall, a hook integral-with the outer end of said top wall, flangesintegral with opposite sides of said top wall and having end portionsextending beyond the inner end of the top wall, a sheet metal togglelever having a top wall, a handle portion integral with the inner end ofsaid last top wall and extending laterally thereof, flanges integralwith opposite sides of said last top wall and having outwardly extendingend portions to fit respectively between said first end portions, pivotmeans respectively connecting the flange end portions of the hook memberto the toggle lever flanges at points spaced from the toggle leverflange end portions,

a sheet metal body portion having a top wall, flanges integral withopposite sides of said last top wall; saidilast flanges fitting betweenthe toggle lever flange end portions, pivot means connecting the innerend of said body flanges to the flange end portions of said toggle levermember, outwardly curved regions on the end portions of the hook flangesto accommodate the pivot connection between the toggle lever member andthe body portion flanges, inwardly curved regions on the body portionflanges to accommodate the pivot connection between the toggle levermember and the hook flange end portions, an integral outer end" wall forsaid body member, an eye bolt connected to said end wall, and an anchormember for connection to a door frame having a hingedly mounted elementreceiving the eye of the eye bolt.

CELESTINE M. GOSHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,329,869 Willringhaus Feb. 3,1920 1,385,568 Marx July 26, 1921 1,603,418 Scheider Oct. 19, 19261,898,742 Phillips Feb. 21, 1933

